P-clip clip for retaining rails

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a rail clip for a retaining device comprising a shoulder member for bearing on a lateral side of a rail flange, and providing a downwardly facing abutment surface. The clip is driven into the hole on the plate and reacts against the top of the base of the rail while the heel (“U” section) of the clip reacts against the plate. The attributes of the clip are as follows. The clip can be installed with the toe on the rail from right to left or from left to right making the clip completely reversible. The clip can also be installed with the heel on the rail. The clip has higher toe load than clips of comparable weight. The clip has a low profile for tight spots where overhead clearance is limited such as at rail joint where joint/splice bars are used.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

None

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to clip for the securing of railroad rails.

SUMMARY

The invention provides a rail clip for a retaining device comprising a shoulder member for bearing on a lateral side of a rail flange, and providing a downwardly facing abutment surface. The clip is driven into the hole on the plate and reacts against the top of the base of the rail while the heel (“U” section) of the clip reacts against the plate. The attributes of the clip are as follows. The clip can be installed with the toe on the rail from right to left or from left to right making the clip completely reversible. The clip can also be installed with the heel on the rail. The clip is lighter weight than clips with comparable toe load. The clip has a low profile for tight spots where overhead clearance is limited such as at rail joint where joint/splice bars are used.

The arrangement of the invention provides excellent stress distribution and avoids stress concentrations that can contribute to premature failure in known clips. Further, the clip is compliant and tolerant of dimensional variation in the components and is relatively easily to install, while providing a highly effective and durable rail retaining function.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a top view of the P-clip,

FIG. 1B is a prospective view of the P-clip.

FIG. 2 is a view of the P-clip being connected to the plate.

FIG. 3 is a view of the P-clip in place.

FIG. 4 show the clip installed in reverse on the plate.

FIG. 5 shows the P-clip with the heel on the rail.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the rail with the P-clip in place.

FIG. 7A is a view of another embodiment of the clip with an oval head.

FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the oval clip embodiment.

FIG. 8 displays the oval embodiment connected to a plate with a shoulder stopper to reduce clip rotation.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the oval embodiment connect to the plate.

FIG. 10 is an end view of the oval embodiment connected to a plate with shoulder stopper.

FIG. 11A is an alternate cross over embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11B is another view of the cross over embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a view of the cross over embodiment connected to the plate.

FIG. 13 is an end view of the cross over embodiment in place.

FIG. 14A is an alternate cross over embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14B is another view of the cross over embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a view of the cross over embodiment connected to the plate.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the cross over embodiment in place.

In the drawings, like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

The invention is a rail clip 1 for a retaining device comprising a shoulder member for bearing on a lateral side of a rail flange, and providing a downwardly facing abutment surface. The clip is driven into a hole 20 that is on the top of the plate 10 and reacts against the top of the base 35 of the rail 30 while the straight tail of the clip reacts against the top of the plate 10.

The preferred version of the clip 1 is the one shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The clip 1 is of bent rod form bent into the preferred shape. The clip had a straight tail 2 which at one end bends out a heel 4 ninety degrees in the form of a semi-circle with the clip bending 180 degrees forward with a straight toe 6 that extends past where the tail is attached. This produces a clip 1 which is in the shape of a P.

In the preferred embodiment, the clip 1 is driven into a hole 20 that is on the top of the plate 10 and reacts against the top of the base 35 of the rail 30 while the straight tail 2 of the clip 1 reacts against the plate 10 in the hole 20 of shoulders 25 on the surface of the plate 60. There are two shoulders 25 on the plate positioned on both sides of the rail base 35.

In the installed position, as seen in FIG, 2, clip 1 extend through openings 20 in the shoulder members 25, and bear upwardly on a downwardly facing abutment surface provided on an upper side of the opening 20. The clip 1 can be installed with the toe 6 on the rail 30 from right to left as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 or from left to right as shown in FIG. 4. The clip 1 is completely reversible as it can be installed with the heel 4 on the rail as shown in FIG. 5.

The clip 1 provides a higher toe load than other clips of comparable weight.

The clip 1 has a low profile as shown in FIG. 6 for tight spots where overhead clearance is limited such as at rail joint where joint/splice bars are used.

The invention has addition embodiments with other shaped clips 1 as shown in FIGS. 7, 7B, 8, 9, 10, 11A, 11 b, 12, 13, 14A, 14B, 15 and 16.

The behavior of the first alternative embodiment is an oval head clip 12 which is a variant of Clip 1 where the plate has stopper arms 26, 27 on the upper part of the shoulder and changes the stiffness of the oval head clip 12 to further increase resistance to rail rotation. This alternative embodiment oval head clip 12 as shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8, 9 and 10.

The oval head clip 12 has a tail 2 which ends in an oval 24 that is perpendicular to said tail 2 in a double heel formation. This is similar to the shape of a sardine can opener.

The shoulder 25 of the plate 20 is unique in the alternative embodiment oval head clip 12 in that the clips 12 are reversible and the plate 20 has a dual over-lapping stopper 26 and 27. The stoppers 26, 27 extend perpendicular from the side of the shoulder 25. The stopper 26 and 27 limits the rotation of the oval head clip 12 between it and the surface of the plate 60 as the oval head clip 12 fits into the hole 20 in shoulders 25 as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10.

While the clips described herein are preferably employed with the above described shoulder members, it is contemplated they may be used with other shoulder members providing a downwardly facing abutment surface.

An additional embodiment of the clip is shown in FIGS. 11A, 11B, 12 and 13. This is a cross over clip 13. The cross over clip 13 consist of a straight tail 2 which at one end bends out a heel 4 ninety degrees in the form of a semi-circle with the clip bending 180 degrees backwards towards the tail 2 with a straight toe 6 that extends past the tail. The cross over clip 13 at the end of the heel 4 has a toe 23 that extend away for the cross over clip 13. The toe 23 has an upward bend to it when it crosses the tail 2. The toe 23 has a downward bend to it after it crosses the tail 2.

The cross over clip 13 is driven into a hole 20 that is on the top of the plate 10 and reacts against the top of the base 35 of the rail 30 while the straight tail 2 of the cross over clip 13 reacts against the plate 10 where the hole 20 in shoulders 25 on the surface of the plate 60 as shown in FIG. 12.

Another embodiment of the clip is shown in FIGS. 14A, 14B, 15 and 16. This is a U over clip 14. The U over clip 14 consist of a straight tail 2 which at one end bends out a U shaped heel 4 ninety degrees perpendicular from said tail 2 in the form of a semi-circle with the U over clip bending 180 degrees backwards towards the tail 2 with a straight toe 6 that extends past the tail 2 with a ninety degree bend 7 at the end of the tail 2 so the end 8 is parallel with the tail 2. The end 8 in the preferred embodiment is shorter than the tail 2.

The U over clip 14 is driven into a hole 20 that is on the top of the plate 10 and reacts against the top of the base 35 of the rail 30 while the straight tail 2 of the U over clip 14 reacts against the plate 10 where the hole 20 in shoulders 25 on the surface of the plate 60 as shown in FIG. 16.

This invention has been described hereinabove, although with reference to a plurality of illustrative exemplary and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this is in no way to be construed as limiting but only to provide examples. However, it is readily appreciated that, from reading this disclosure, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics or attributes to bring modifications by replacing some elements of this invention as practiced by their equivalents, which would achieve the same goal thereof and accordingly reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments and the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims described herein. Such equivalents, obvious variations, and all changes which come within the meaning and equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be encompassed therein and are deemed covered by the claims of this invention. 

1. A rail retaining device comprising a clip that is inserted to a hole in the shoulder of a plate where said clip reacts against the top of the base of the a rail and reacts against the plate.
 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said clip has a straight tail connected to a heel that extends away from said tail with a straight toe on the end of said heel.
 3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said clip is reversible.
 4. A device according to claim 2 where said heel reacts against the top of the base of said rail.
 5. A device according to claim 2 where said toe reacts against the top of the base of said rail.
 6. A device according to claim 1 where said plate has a shoulder attached to said plate with a hole in the shoulders where the clip in inserted.
 7. A device according to claim 1 wherein said clip has a straight tail connected to an oval shape.
 8. A device according to claim 7 where said plate has a shoulder attached to said plate with a hole in the shoulders where the clip in inserted where said shoulders have stoppers that extend out of the top of said shoulders.
 9. A device according to claim 8 where said clip fits into said stoppers limiting clip rotation.
 10. A device according to claim 1 wherein said clip has a straight tail connected to a heal that extends back towards said tail with a straight toe on the end of said heel that crosses over said tail.
 11. A device according to claim 10 wherein said toe bend up over said tail and back down.
 12. A device according to claim 1 wherein said clip has a straight tail connected to a U shaped heel that extends away from towards said tail with a straight toe on the end of said heel with a bend at the end of the toe.
 13. A device according to claim 12 wherein said bend is ninety degrees.
 14. A device according to claim 12 wherein said end is parallel with said tail.
 15. A device according to claim 12 wherein said end is shorter than said tail.
 16. A device according to claim 12 where said end reacts against the top of the base of said rail.
 17. A device according to claim 1 wherein said clip is made by a bending means. 